15th February 2006
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#1 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Feb 2005 Location: Banana Republic
Posts: 2,912
Thread Starter  | 4 mic pres into 2 line inputs?...
...I'm helping a friend's son set up a small computer recording setup and have a pretty basic question (so simple, it's making me think twice about it) regading routing inputs...
...he's using an M-Audio interface that has only 2 line inputs but he has a total of 4 outboard mic pres (like the SP VTB-1 and Joe Meek 3Q)...he'll only be recording 1 or 2 tracks at a time, so I was wondering if it's cool to just use good quality 1/4" TRS Y-connectors into each line input so that all 4 pres can be fed in (2 pres into each line input)...assuming that he only records using one pre per line input at a time (allowing for both line inputs to be utilized simultaneously, but obviously only one pre per line input)
...is there any potential problem using this simple routing setup?...is there a better way to route 4 pres into 2 line inputs that I'm overlooking?...
...trying to keep this simple, but at the same time get the best performance out of his setup...he'll probably be recording vocal and guitar on so only 2 pres would be actively used at one time...I'd like the wiring to be setup from the getgo so he doesn't have to plug and unplug each time he changes his choice of pres...
...maybe I'm just having a case of "brain-lock" in this simple situation, but any recommendations would be helpful...Thanks!
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reggae souljah
"It was only four tracks on the machine, but I was picking up twenty from the extra terrestrial squad."
LEE 'SCRATCH' PERRY (avatar) | 
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15th February 2006
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#2 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,396
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I would just get something like a passive distrubution amp. ART makes one I think, ( Mini-Mixer) 6 inputs and stereo output. Run your pre-amps output into the 6 inputs, then run the stereo out of the DA into the stereo input of the computer card! Other vendors make these DA as well. Hope this helps..... 
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Thanks for your time and ears!
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15th February 2006
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#3 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2004 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,128
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15th February 2006
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#4 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Dec 2005 Location: Orlando
Posts: 1,231
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B.A. may be a tad out of price range for an m-audio/joemeek/SP two track setup though... That's like a whole nother interface (if software supports, of course...)
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15th February 2006
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#5 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Feb 2005 Location: Banana Republic
Posts: 2,912
Thread Starter | Quote: |
Originally Posted by nathanvacha B.A. may be a tad out of price range for an m-audio/joemeek/SP two track setup though... That's like a whole nother interface (if software supports, of course...) | ..agreed...the mini mixer/DA suggestion is more inline with the application here...we want a clean signal, so a simple passive interface is probably the best way to go...thanks to all for the suggestions...any other useful suggestions/input would also be appreciated...
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15th February 2006
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#6 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2004 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,128
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by nathanvacha B.A. may be a tad out of price range for an m-audio/joemeek/SP two track setup though... That's like a whole nother interface (if software supports, of course...) | Sorry........that's just the slut in me!  | |
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15th February 2006
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#7 | | Gear addict
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 426
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May I be so bold as to suggest a patchbay?
It is cheap, 100% passive, easy to use and will be more useful as more gear gets added in the future.
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Regards,
YZ
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16th February 2006
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#8 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Apr 2004 Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 1,800
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is he coming at this from an artist's perspective, or an engineering one? if the former, then, sure... make it easy for him to get ideas down. if the latter, why not explain how and why things work the way they do with signal flow, and let him learn from the first couple of times he has to go behind the racks to patch in a different pre?
again, if it's just to get songs into the computer, and not a "new engineer" type thing, then disreguard me!
--jon
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"My job is to make music sound great and to not whine too much." --George Massenburg
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16th February 2006
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#9 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,075
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Before you spend anything - why not get a better audio interface that can track 4 channels? Or, if it's got s/pdif, a quality external converter, so you can use the stereo s/pdif in at the same time as the two analog inputs.
BTW - a patchbay doesn't sum channels together, so would not solve anything.
A quick and dirty would be some y-connectors so you can share inputs.
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16th February 2006
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#10 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Feb 2005 Location: Banana Republic
Posts: 2,912
Thread Starter | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Kiwiburger
A quick and dirty would be some y-connectors so you can share inputs.
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...yeah, basically we're trying to make use of the odds and ends my friend and I have laying around (which are actually pretty decent quality for a 15 yr. old) to patch together a rig so the kid can do some tracking (no budding engineer here...at least not yet)...I already have a few TRS y-connectors, but I thought maybe I'd spend the $30. to get one of those Rolls or Art mini-mixers, to keep everything very organized...we'll patch his best pre (a GT Brick for vocal tracking) directly into one of the 2 line inputs, and then route the other 2 or 3 cheaper pres into the
4-in/1-out stereo mixer (then into the remaining line input) so he can choose which pre he wants for instrument tracking...should be neat and functional...
...but I'd really like that Averill line-mixer for my rig...after I get that pair of racked 1073's (in my dreams!)...
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16th February 2006
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#11 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Dec 2005 Location: Orlando
Posts: 1,231
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I almost suggested a patchbay before too... You can find them on ebay for anywhere from $20-$50, i've even seen nice switchcraft bays on there for fifty bucks... I actually bought a normalled 1/4" bay for 15 bucks once i think, just for backup cards... anyway, that's a cheap fix AND good for the long haul... but that last post, kidvybes, that would sure work too
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